Learn More About Revolution Spirits Austin Reserve Gin

Visit this Dripping Springs distillery for a botanical bouquet of brightness

By Megan Kimble

Published: May 24, 2018

Photo courtesy Revolution Spirits

Revolution Spirits AustinReserve Gin is a bouquet of brightness. Made with only six botanicals—juniper, rosemary, lavender, lemongrass, pink peppercorn, and Texas grapefruit—the Texas-inspired spirit is “stripped down,” says distiller Brian Meola. “Instead of being vaguely floral, we want it to taste like lavender. Instead of being vaguely herbal, we want it to taste like rosemary. It’s really distinct and precise, because it’s so simple.”

Meola and co-distillers John Henry and Forrest Allen worked on the recipe for two years before selling their first batch in 2014. They’ve since added three spirits to the regular lineup: Cafecito Coffee Liqueur and Chocolate Cafecito, both made with Cuvee Coffee’s Mezzanotta blend, and Amico Amaro, a Texas version of the bitter liqueur traditionally made in Italy.

Austin Reserve Gin begins with a corn-based neutral grain spirit made in Missouri; the six botanicals, sourced from Manor’s Southern Style Spices, are added and steeped for 24 hours in a large steel tank before the spirit runs through another distillation. “It does well with simpler cocktails because it’s a really expressive gin,” Meola says.

In February, Revolution Spirits opened a tasting room and cocktail bar at the distillery located off Dripping Springs’ Fitzhugh Road. Although the four staple spirits are available throughout Texas, the tasting room is the only place you can sample seasonal and single-batch products inspired by the distillers’ curiosity and collaborations with local producers.

“We take more of a brewery model and try to continually come up with new products and new ideas,” says Meola, who was home brewing with Henry and Allen before they opened the distillery. They’ve aged gin in barrels that once held wine, beer, or bourbon to produce their Single Barrel Series and infused liqueur from fermented fruit sourced from the nearby Jester King Brewery, an experiment that yielded their popular Farmhouse Fruit Liqueur. To try it, head to the tasting room, open Fridays 3-7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 1-7 p.m.